User menu

Acts 29: Applying the microscope to Acts 28

Introduction

"No pain no gain!!" The modern response to this phrase is sometimes "No pain no pain" -- the point is why go through pain -- is the gain worth it? In the case of reviewing and examining those things which we believe while painful will often be very fruitful because biblical doctrines will often be dependent on each other. Truth is important and when it comes to a systematic or schema we need to get it right. The pain is worth it!

In this blog we will look at the meaning of the systematic I am suggesting, which is a work in progress and will be adjusted as time and study goes by.

The Schema

Matthew 22

This passage informs much of the schematic above (gray and light gray) and is important because it reveals from the Lord's own statements:

The nature of the message proclaimed (invitation to the wedding)

The number of invitations (3)

The beginning of the last invitation being at the burning of the "city" - which would most naturally be taken as Jerusalem.

Matthew 22

KJV Matthew 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with gue (Matt. 22:1-10 KJV)

The parable (given to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven) is essentially a prophecy of what will happen when Israel is found to be unworthy. This is "practical" or de facto since an unworthy one is someone who does not produce the necessary deeds. Once Jerusalem is burned a new audience is brought into focus BUT the message is the same!!

You can see this in the picture above -- where "HIGHWAYS" is printed and a picture of the burning of Jerusalem is shown. The important change that takes place here in terms of adjusting our existing schema is the fact that Israel (the called ones) were de facto unworthy after Acts 28 at the burning of Jerusalem.

Pregnant period "."

At the end of the book of Acts the last verse states:

31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. (Acts 28:31 KJV)

The last clause "no man forbidding him." continues through time until Paul is revealed the mystery at which time a new age emerges.

This occurs after Acts 28. See the black stretched "period" in the schema above.

Ezekiel

This part of the diagram where two ellipses are pictured at the bottom is where there is a parallel appealed to from the old testament scriptures. The final temple abasement under Nebuchadnessar was preceded by a number of captivities and besiegments. Acts 28 is significant and a boundary because it is like a judgment along the way to the final one. The last ellipse relates to where the temple was finally sacked.